0.04 too thick where to get .039 moon clips for my 625 JM?

[sig808]

Hello All,

I recently aquired a 625 JM (I am not the original owner) and I have found my new favorite firearm.

I do have a question for you all. Where can I get .039 thick moon clips?

It came with the rimz plastic moon clips which worked great and flawlessly at the range. But I wanted to try some of the metal moon clips. So, I bought some Ranch moon clips. Unfortunately just after a couple of rounds the cylinder stops revolving as the case heads are rubbing up against the face.

It's not powder under the star and the chambers are clean. And the rimz still worked like a charm.

I measured all of the ranch moon clips and they were all between 0.041 - 0.045" thick.

I called S&W and they said that the JM was built with a little smaller gaps and to use the moon clips that came with the firearm. I explained that I didn't have any and they said I could order more.

Interestingly, they told me that there are two different moon clips...at least with two different sku's...on sku is for the moon clips that come with the JM and the Governor and another sku for the moon clips that come with regular 625s.

I did some google searching and also found a few references to the Governer also using thinner moon clips.

Anyway, long story short...besides S&W where can I get these thinner moon clips for my JM?

What have you guys been using? Or is my JM outta wack an need a trip to customer service?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Detonic2]

Try TK custom, He's on line.

Detonic

 

[zonker5]

You might try running them over a piece of 600 grit wet or dry. It may thin them down enough to work in your gun.

 

[TenTea]

...at the belt sander?

Seriously, these folks were good to me.

The Revolver Supply Company moon clips, loader, checker, holder

 

[Pizza Bob]

I have five revolvers which shoot .45 ACP loaded in moon clips. They span from the mid-70's to the mid-2000's. I use Ranch Products moon clips in all of them and have never had a problem.

I realize that is a rather small sample, but I have been doing some research on-line and that seems to be the typical scenario. That is not to say that your problem is unique, just atypical. I have read several other accounts of problems described just as you have.

I also looked in the S&W "store" on their site and also searched their site - they don't even have .45 ACP moon clips listed anymore, let alone offer two different thicknesses. They must have ceded that market to the aftermarket producers - mainly TK Custom and Revolver Supply. I checked availability of .45 ACP clips from them and both offer moon clips only in .040" thickness. I also understand that this "spec" has been considered standard since the advent of the 1917 revolvers (although they were half-moon clips then - don't think full moons were available until the 80's). I was also under the impression that the S&W clips previously sold and supplied with their guns, were Ranch Products clips (.040").

All very good, but not helpful to you. I would say that your problem is with the gun, not the clips. A good revolver smith can "adjust" your cylinder so that you have more space between the back of the cylinder and the recoil shield, thus making the gun function with the standard .040" moon clips. Don't know who to suggest on the west coast, maybe someone will be along and recommend someone close to you. You may want to try posting on the Enos forums or Revo Nation for suggestions for smiths close to you, also.

Reading between the lines - it seems this gun came to you with no clips - just wondering if that was because the previous owner was experiencing the same problem and wanted to dump it with less chance of it coming back on them - just speculation.

Good luck.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[CTI1USNRET]

+1 Grinding and polishing.

 

[vinny77]

I'd run with the rimz25. they work flawlessly.

 

[zonker5]

What ammo are you using? I'm wondering if you have some that the head is a little thick on, this would do the same thing.

 

[alec.mc]

sounds like a gun problem to me.

 

[Dale53]

If the moon clips are bent from rough use then they COULD bind. Since the RIMZ clips work I would suspect the steel moon clips, my self. Of course, this is speculation.

My JM Special uses Ranch Products steel full moon clips along with the original RIMZ and the new Rimz Hydrocarbon/Polymer clips without issue, FWIW.

Mike the steel clips with a good micrometer (NOT a set of calipers) then give Ranch Products a call and see what they have to say.

Just a thought...

Dale53

 

[halvenut]

I've had my 625 JM for a while now and have used several different brands of steel moon clips with no problems. I've used factory and some cheap ones that I got from one of the discount places on the internet and I just recently bought some of the ones made by Wilson Combat. As posted earlier if they start to bend or warp they're no good and will cause the cylinder not to turn as it should. I've found that the better brands last longer and have less of the tendency to bend.

 

[bananaman]

My 625 JM, (2009) operates flawlessly with RIMZ. It is fine with the S&W package marked that came with the gun. (bought used) Now, the clips that came with my de-mooning tool tend to bind. I contacted the seller, and he said that I paid for the tool, and the clips were free. He offered to do nothing about it. Think that I will sand those down. What do I have to loose? Bob